Negative power prices are becoming increasingly commonplace in Europe’s electricity markets.
With solar generation soaring and renewable buildout accelerating, Europe’s power systems are increasingly producing more electricity than consumers need during certain hours of the day. The result? Wholesale electricity prices falling below zero, with generators effectively paying the market to take their power.
But are negative prices actually a problem — or a sign that the energy transition is working? Should we be celebrating curtailment?
The panel explores why countries like Germany, the Netherlands, France and Spain are seeing growing numbers of negative-price hours, how grid congestion and inflexible generation are contributing to the issue, and whether batteries, storage and demand-side flexibility can keep pace with the rapid expansion of renewables.
They also debate why overbuilding renewables is economically rational, and whether current market structures are fit for a power system dominated by wind and solar.
#EnergyMarkets #NegativePrices #Curtailment #RenewableEnergy #EnergyTransition #PowerMarkets #BatteryStorage #SolarPower #WindEnergy #GridFlexibility #ElectricityMarkets #NetZero #EnergyStorage #MontelNews
Host:
Richard Sverrisson – Editor-in-Chief, Montel News
Guests:
André Bosschaart - Head of Analytics, Montel
Anton Tijdink, Policy advisor - Electricity Market Design, TenneT TSO
Caroline Pailliez, Montel Journalist, France
Editor: Oscar Birk
Producer: Alexandra Carlon
